Dr. Ben Carson, a pediatric
neurosurgeon at John Hopkins University and a conservative celebrity,
on Tuesday warned that people are “terrified” of speaking out
against gay rights.
During an appearance on Family Research
Council's (FRC) Washington Watch, host Tony Perkins asked
Carson why politicians aren't more vocal in their opposition to
marriage equality.
“People everywhere from politicians
down to the lowliest person in our society, they're terrified,”
Carson
answered. “You know, we, a nation of people who were brave,
courageous, self-reliant, have become a nation of people who are like
looking around the corner and saying, 'Can I say this?'”
Freedom of speech, Carson stated, is a
founding pillar of our nation.
“And I'm very alarmed that it is
escaping us. When I couple that with the Alinskyite-type rules that
you make the majority feel that their opinion is the minority
opinion. That nobody thinks that way. And that only their opinion
is valid. You know, it's quite frightening to see how effectively
they've managed to push that across, particularly with the help of
the media.”
Writing at Right Wing Watch, Brian
Tashman responded: “That's odd, because at CPAC last week several
speakers – including Carson himself – openly denounced gay rights
and weren't arrested or fined or punished in any way. Maybe all of
this oppression is just happening in his own mind, where mere
criticism is equated with persecution.”
(Related: CPAC:
Ben Carson insists gay people “don't get to redefine marriage.”)